Description:

This 6 week class will build upon skills and concepts presented in the Beginning Blacksmithing course. While the introductory course presented techniques to manipulate a single bar of steel, this intermediate course will focus on how to “hot join” multiple bars together through fire welding AKA forge welding. This technique has applications in ornamental ironwork to make more complicated forms such as finals, or for joining scrolls and leaves. Forgewelding is also useful in functional ironwork in for tools, utensils, handles, etc. This course will also introduce the solid fuel forge, including fire starting and maintenance. Students will learn striking and the use of top tools as they strike for each other in the production of their projects. Students should plan to complete 1-2 forgewelded projects of their own design in the coal forge. There will be more forging tips and tricks than we can list here! Classes meet for 3 hours, once a week. Limit 6 students. Cost: $495, some material included. Introductory blacksmithing experience required.

Schedule:

Tuesdays, 6 - 9 pm. June 17th - July 22nd.

Location:

Smith Shop, 180 Victor St, Highland Park, MI 48203

Instructor Biography:

Gabriel Craig has been a metalsmith for 22 years, starting his career as a jeweler and gradually becoming interested in larger and more varied metalworking techniques. His work is often influenced by medieval and gothic ornament and architecture. Gabriel’s work has been exhibited nationally including exhibitions at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., The National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, TN, and the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, OR. He has held artist residencies at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, the Savannah College of Art and Design, and Warren Wilson College. Gabriel received his BFA in Metals/ Jewelry from Western Michigan University and his MFA in Jewelry and Metalworking from Virginia Commonwealth University.